Interlocking metallic structural



April 14, 1964 E. J. DERIDDER ETAT. 3,128,851

INTERLOCKING METALLIC STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Original Filed Jan. 18, 1956HARRY E. WE/LEB United States Patent O 3,128,851 INTERLOCKING METALLICSTRUCTUL MEMBERS Ernst J. Dcridder and Harry E. Weiler, Richmond, Va.,assignors to Reynolds Metais Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation ofDelaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 559,865, Ian. 18, 1956.This application Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 832,879 16 tiiaims. (Cl. 189-3i) The present invention relates to metallic structural members adaptedto be formed by extrusion and having ends so formed that a plurality ofthe said members may be interlocked.

This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No.559,865, iiled January i8, 1956, now abandoned.

An object of this invention is to provide a metallic v structural memberparticularly adapted for use as flooring in vehicles such as truck-s,railway cars, etc.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a metallicstructural member adapted for interlocking with other similar structuralmembers in such a manner as to form at each interlocking point a strongmoistureresistant joint having exceptional resistance to pressure.

The structural member of our invention is suited for use in anyconnection where a surface formed of a plurality of interlocked sectionsand assembled with great facility and at low cost is required. Wheninterlocked,

- the said members virtually provide, in assembly a unitary structureregardless of length and the number of members interlocked.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional View showing three members of ourinvention, the left hand outermost member being interlocked with thecentrally positioned member, and the right hand outermost member beingin position prior to interlocking, said two outermost members beingbroken way;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged View of the interlocking areas .of the membersof FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 1, the shape of the members at theinterlocking areas, being modified; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates a further modication of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE l, there are shownthree structural metallic members generally indicated from left to rightat 1, 2 and 3. These members are interlocked, and the outermost members1 and 3 are broken away. Each member is formed of a plurality ofalternate hollow ribs and channels, providing flat rib surfaces 4 andflat channel base walls 5. The side walls 6 of the channels are set atan angle obtuse to the base walls 5. The flat rib surfaces 4 have iiangeareas 4X on either side overhangiug the adjacent channels.

Referring specifically to member 2, and to the right hand end thereof,it will be noted that the rib surface 4 terminates at its inner edge ina nose portion 7, below which is an upwardly and obliquely facingrounded seat 8 (above 6X) formed by a curved ridge 6X on the outersurface of Wall 6 beneath nose 7 (FIGURE 2). Surface 4 at its outer edgemerges with a downwardly extending strut 9, said strut 9 having at itsbottom an outwardly extending base wall It), the latter being alignedwith the channel base walls 5.

Member 2 at its opposite end has a channel extension formed of a wall11, base 12, upwardly extending leg 13, horizontal rib 14, and inwardlyhooked nose 15. Elements 12, 13, 14 and 15, respectively, conform withwall 10, strut 9, surface 4, nose 7 and seat 8 of the first- 3,128,851Patented Apr. 14, 1964 ICC mentioned end of member 2. It will be notedthat the base 12 is raised, so that it rests horizontally upon base wall10.

The members may be attached to a supporting structure by bolts, such asare shown at (a), passing through the base walls 1i). These bolts arecountersunk so that the channel bases 12 may be flush with the walls1t).

It will thus be apparent that two or more of the structural members ofour invention may be brought together at their conforming end areas, andinterlocked in the 'manner illustrated in the drawing. The right handmember (eg. member 3) may be brought into locking engagement with theleft hand member (e.g. member 2) from above the latter, the rounded nose15 being first inserted in the seat 8, and the right hand member thenbeing rotated into locked position.

Referring to the modiiication of FIGURE 3, it will be seen that thestructural member 2 is formed at one end with a nose 16 under which isprovided a rounded seat 17. Behind seat 17 is the downwardly extendingstrut 9 having at its bottom the outwardly extending base wall 10. Strut9 bears on its outer face and below the center thereof, a tongue 1S,said tongue having flat sides and a slightly rounded outer surface. Basewall 1li is formed at its outer end with a seat for the head of the bolt(a), said seat being formed between an inner shoulder 10X, and an outerwall ItiXX which extends upwardly for a distance above the peak of thesaid shoulder. At the opposite end of the member the wall 11 has anoutwardly bent portion 11X below its midpoint, which conforms with theupper surface of the wall 10X, the head of the bolt (a) and the exposedsurface of the shoulder 10X. Section 11X merges into the shortened base12. Leg 13, in this instance, terminates in a rounded nose 19 whichconforms with the seat 1'7. Leg 13, furthermore, has an outwardlycurving section 20 providing a groove conforming with tongue 18.

In the modification of FIGURE 3, the interlocked members have surfacescurving around the center point (C), as indicated by the radii R1, R2,R3 and R4. Thus, in bringing members together into interlocked position,the right hand member is rotated about point (C). The dimension betweennose 19 and leg 11 may be Varied depending upon the elasticity of thematerial of which the members are constructed. With more elasticmaterials, this dimension may be increased to provide an extremely tightjoint, the right hand member being sprung into interlocked position. Ina sense it will be seen that the nose 16, strut 9, and base wall 14Bform a channellike proiile conguration having inner surface portions ofthe nose and of the base wall opposed to each other. Also the curvedseat 17 has surface portions opposed to each other, one adjacent thestrut 9 and facing laterally outwardly and the other adjacent the lip ofthe nose 16 and facing laterally inwardly. Similarly, the section 11x,base 12, leg 13 and nose 19 in a sense form a projecting profileconfiguration adapted to interiit within the aforementioned channel-likeprofile configuration.

Coming to FIGURE 4, structural members are shown which have a continuousbottom wall 21, provided with integral T-shaped stiffener ribs 22. Atone end of the member, the bottom wall is thickened, as shown at 21X.inwardly of section 21X rib 23 has its lower end olfset and forming anoutwardly exposed seat 24. Rib 23 at its top merges into an inwardlydirected ledge 25. Ledge 25 has an inclined undersurface and a flat topsurface with a centrally positionedilongitudinal rounded groove 26therein. The undersurface of ledge 25 is cut back for a shortdistancebelow the top surface thereof to form a seat 27. At its opposite end,the structural member is formed with a raised dat wall 23, whichintertswith the aforesaid wall 21X, and has at its end a nose 29 which conformswith the seat 24 in leg 23. Nose 29 merges into an upwardly extendingleg 30 conforming with the outer surfaces of leg 23 at its upper areaand ledge 25. At the top of leg 30 is a fiat rib 31 having an inwardlyextending fiange area 31X. Rib 31 is provided on its undersurface with arounded protrusion 32 conforming with groove 26, and at its outer endhas a downwardly and inwardly inclined nose 33 which conforms with theseat 27.

The modified structure shown in FIGURE 4 offers an improved tightnessand strength in the interlocked joint. If desired, the groove 26 may belined with a sealing compound for even additional tightness and moistureresistance, Again, this construction may be said to define achannel-like edge profile configuration (nose 29, leg 30, fiat rib 31,and nose 33) having interfitted therein a projecting edge profileconfiguration (rib 23 and ledge 25).

The structural members of our invention are preferably of aluminum, butit will be understood that other metals may be employed. The walls ofthese members are sufficiently flexible to allow for an interlockingaction in which the said walls will spring into tight connection. Eachof the members may, of course, be provided with as many intermediateribs and channels or stiffener legs between its interlocking ends asdesired or permitted by the method of manufacture.

The structural members are particularly useful for refrigerated trucksand trailers, which usually require grooved fiooring for sufiicient aircirculation below the freight.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as follows:

l. At least two panel-like extruded metal sections adapted forinterlocking engagement along their side edges to form at least aportion of a floor, each of said sections having a plurality ofuniformly-spaced parallel upstanding loadcarrying longitudinal ribs ofuniform height, each of said ribs having an upstanding straight wallportion and a laterally-hanged fiat top, the width of said top being ofthe order of the spacing therebetween to define slots communicating withair channel ways between said ribs, one of said sections having anupstanding substantially flat-topped rib-like load-carrying projectionalong one side edge, the inner side of said projection, adjacent itstop, being provided with a curved-bottom groove-like seat, a generallyhorizontal fastening flange having a fiat undersurface projecting fromthe outer side of said projection at its base, the other of saidsections having, along one side edge, an upwardly offset marginalportion provided with an upstanding rib-like web, the undersurface ofsaid marginal portion and the outer surface of said web beingcomplementary, respectively, to the upper surface of said fiange and tothe outer surface of said projection for snug mating engagementtherewith when said sections are interlocked, a generally horizontalfiange projecting from the outer side and at the top of said web andadapted to overlie the top of said projection, said last-mentionedflange having a downturned lip terminating in an inturned rounded edgeadapted for interfitting engagement within said seat and theundersurface of said last-mentioned ange and of its lip beingcomplementary to the corresponding underlying surfaces on saidprojection for snug mating engagement therewith, when said sections arenterlocked, the construction and arrangement of said sections being suchthat said lip edge can be engaged in said seat with said other sectiontilted up from its said one side edge and then said other section can bepivoted downwardly about said lip edge to interlock said sectionsagainst relative translational movement therebetween in any directionnormal to the longitudinal extent of the interlocking engagementtherebetween.

2. The structure defined in clairn l including cornplementarylongitudinal tongue and groove configurations on the top of theprojection and the undersurface of the ange on the other section, saidconfigurations bel ing adapted to interlit snugly when said sections areinterlocked.

3, The structure defined in claim 1 including comple mentarylongitudinal tongue and groove configurations on the outer sides of theprojection and the web, said configurations being adapted to interfitsnugly when said sections are interlocked.

4. rl`he structure defined in claim 1 in which each rib on each sectionand the projection on the one section is hollow and includes two spacedupstanding side walls, and the web on the other section constitutes aside wall of an upwardly facing channel.

5. The structure defined in lclaim l in which each rib on each onesection is T-shaped and has a single upstanding wall portion.

6. At least two extruded panel-like metal sections adapted forinterlocking engagement along their side edges to form at least aportion of a fioor having upstanding parallel ribs provided withload-carrying fiat tops separated by channels, one of said sectionshaving along one side edge an upstanding rib provided along its innerside and adjacent its top with a curved-bottom groovelike seat, aflange-like lateral fastening extension, having a liat bearingunder-surface, at the lower edge of the outer side of said rib, theother of said sections having along one side edge an upstanding ribwhich includes an upstanding straight-wall portion, said portion beingprovided along its outer side and adjacent its upper edge with aflange-like lateral extension adapted to overlie the top of said onesection rib and merging at its outer edge in a down-turned lip whichterminates in an inturned rounded edge complementary to said seat onsaid one section for pivotal engagement therein during assembly of saidsections and said other section having an upwardly offset channel bottomportion at the inner side of said other section rib for overlyingengagement with said lateral extension on said one section, the outerside of said other section rib, said lateral extension and lip thereon,and said channel bottom portion being complementary and having surfacesconforming respectively to the outer side of said one section rib, saidtop and inner edge thereof, and to said fastening extension, ,theconstruction and arrangement of said sections being such that said lipcan be hooked over said inner edge of said one section rib with saidrounded edge engaged in said seat while said other section is tilted upifrom its said one side edge and then said other section pivoted downabout said rounded edge to assemble said sections into interlockingengagement with said conforming surfaces on said other section in snugoverlying engagement with the top and outer side of said one sectionrib.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 in which the rib on the one sectionis constituted by a single upstanding wall portion.

8. The structure defined in claim 6 in which the rib onlthe one sectionincludes two spaced upstanding side Wax S.

9. The structure defined in claim 6 including complementary longitudinaltongue and groove configurations on the outer sides of the ribs on thesections, said configurations being adapted to interfit when saidsections are interlocked.

l0. At least two panel-like extruded metal sections adapted forinterlocking engagement along their side edges to 'form at least aportion of a fioor, a wall, or the like, one of said sections having anupstanding substantially flat-topped rib along one side edge, the innerside of `said rib, adjacent its top, being provided with a curvedbottomgroove-like seat, a generally horizontal fastening flange having a flatundersurface projecting from the outer side of said rib at its base, theother of said sections having, along one side edge, an upstanding rib, agenerally horizontal iiange projecting from the outer side and at thetop of said last-mentioned rib and adapted to overlie the top of saidrib on said one section, said lastmentioned flange having a down-turnedlip [terminating in an in-turned rounded edge adapted `'for interiittingengagement within said seat and the undersurface of said last-mentionediiange and of its lip being complementary and conforming to thecorresponding underlying surfaces on said rib on said one section forsnug mating engagement therewith when said sections are interlocked,said one section having along its said one edge an outwardly facingportion adapted to abut the outer side of said rib on said other sectionwhen said sections are interlocked, the construction `and arrangement ofsaid sections being such tha-t said lip edge can be engaged in said seatwith said other section tilted up from its said one side edge and thensaid other section can be pivoted downwardly about said lipedge tointerlock said sections against relative translational movementtherebetween in any direction normal to the longitudinal extent of theinterlocking engagement therebetween.

11. A lioor section for a vehicle comprising: an extruded aluminumsection having a bottom panel portion provided with a generally tlatundersurface; a plurality of T-shaped longitudinal ribs upstanding fromsaid panel portion in space-d parallel relation, the upper surfaces otsaid ribs being in -substantially flush relation to one another buthaving their side edges spaced from one another at distances of theorder of their widths to provide longitudinal slots communicating withchannelways spaces interfiorly of said section between said ribs; andmeans at each side edge port-ion of said section and integral therewithfor forming a longitudinally extending interlocking connection withanother section of similar bottom panel and upstanding T-shaped ribconstruction by relative pivotal movement between adjacent sections,said connection preventing relative translational movement betweeninterrocked sections in any `direction normal to the longitudinal extentof the connection therebetween, whereby a floor for a vehicle may beassembled by longitudinally interlock-ing a plurality of such sections,within which floor air may flow through said channelway lspaces betweenadjacent ribs.

12. The structure defined in claim 11 in which the means for -forrningan interlocking connection includes a T-shaped upstanding rib at atleast one side of the section.

13. Floor structure for a vehicle comprising: a plurality ofrelatively-narrow elongated sections assembled in side-byside relationto constitute a floor for a vehicle, each section comprising a metalextrusion having a bottom panel portion adapted to be supported by thechassis of the vehicle and a plurality of T-shaped longitudinal ribsopstanding from said panel portion in spaced parallel relation, theupper sunfaces of said ribs being substantially in a plane parallel 4tothe plane of said bottom panel portion and said surfaces having theirside edges spaced apart at distances of the order of their widths toprovide longitudinal slots communicating with channelway spaces betweenadjacent ribs; and continuously extending means at and integral with theside edge portions of said sections interlocking the latter to oneanother against relative translational movement between said sections inany direction normal to the longitudinal extent of said sections.

14. The structure deiined in claim 13 in which the interlocking meansincludes the outermost rib of at least one section of each adjoiningpair.

15. At least two panel-like extruded metal sections adapted to beassembled in side-by-side interlocking relation to form at least aportion of a vehicle floor, each of said sections having a panel-likebase portion provided with a generally tlat undersurface and upstandingtherefrom a plurality of uniformly-spaced parallel T- shapedlongitudinal ribs of uniform height, the edges of the flanged tops ofsaid ribs being spaced apart at distances of the order of the width ofsaid tops to detine longitudinal slots communicating with channelwayspaces between said ribs, one of said sections having along one sideedge a channel-like proiile configuration having opposed generallyupwardly and downwardly facing inner surface portions and opposedgenerally laterally outwardly and inwardly facing inner surface portionsand the other of said sections having along one side edge a projectingproi'ile coniiguration adapted Ito intertit Within said channel-likeconfiguration and having opposite generally upwardly and downwardlyfacing outer surface portions and opposite generally laterally outwardlyand inwardly facing outer surface portions, the construction andarrangement of said configurations being such that said projectionconfiguration can be engaged in said channel-like coniiguration withsaid sections tilted relative to each other and then said sectionsrelatively rotated abou-t such engagement into substantially coplanarinterlocking relation wherein said inner and outer surface portions areengaged and prevent relative translational movement between saidsections in any direction normal to the longitudinal extent of theconnection therebetween.

16. The structure defined in claim 15 in which one of the proiileconiigurations includes at least a portion of an outermost rib on thecorresponding section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,676,043 Olsson July 3, 1928 1,913,342 Schaffert June 6, 1933 2,148,434lCalkins et al. Feb. 28, 1939 2,615,751 Black Oct. 28, 1952 2,753,018Curell July 3, 1956 2,779,303 Cupples Jan. 29, 1957 y2,786,556 ConstanceMar. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 433,558 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1935 OTHERREFERENCES Designing with Aluminum EXtrusions--Reynolds Metals Company,1952, copyrighted 1950, page 14.

1. AT LEAST TWO PANEL-LIKE EXTRUDED METAL SECTIONS ADAPTED FORINTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT ALONG THEIR SIDE EDGES TO FORM AT LEAST APORTION OF A FLOOR, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING A PLURALITY OFUNIFORMLY-SPACED PARALLEL UPSTANDING LOAD-CARRYING LONGITUDINAL RIBS OFUNIFORM HEIGHT, EACH OF SAID RIBS HAVING AN UPSTANDING STRAIGHT WALLPORTION AND A LATERALLY-FLANGED FLAT TOP, THE WIDTH OF SAID TOP BEING OFTHE ORDER OF THE SPACING THEREBETWEEN TO DEFINE SLOTS COMMUNICATING WITHAIR CHANNEL WAYS BETWEEN SAID RIBS, ONE OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING ANUPSTANDING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT-TOPPED RIB-LIKE LOAD-CARRYING PROJECTIONALONG ONE SIDE EDGE, THE INNER SIDE OF SAID PROJECTION, ADJACENT ITSTOP, BEING PROVIDED WITH A CURVED-BOTTOM GROOVE-LIKE SEAT, A GENERALLYHORIZONTAL FASTENING FLANGE HAVING A FLAT UNDERSURFACE PROJECTING FROMTHE OUTER SIDE OF SAID PROJECTION AT ITS BASE, THE OTHER OF SAIDSECTIONS HAVING, ALONG ONE SIDE EDGE, AN UPWARDLY OFFSET MARGINALPORTION PROVIDED WITH AN UPSTANDING RIB-LIKE WEB, THE UNDERSURFACE OFSAID MARGINAL PORTION AND THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID WEB BEINGCOMPLEMENTARY, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE AND TOTHE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID PROJECTION FOR SNUG MATING ENGAGEMENTTHEREWITH WHEN SAID SECTIONS ARE INTERLOCKED, A GENERALLY HORIZONTALFLANGE PROJECTING FROM THE OUTER SIDE AND AT THE TOP OF SAID WEB ANDADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE TOP OF SAID PROJECTION, SAID LAST-MENTIONEDFLANGE HAVING A DOWNTURNED LIP TERMINATING IN AN INTURNED ROUNDED EDGEADAPTED FOR INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SAID SEAT AND THEUNDERSURFACE OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED FLANGE AND OF ITS LIP BEINGCOMPLEMENTARY TO THE CORRESPONDING UNDERLYING SURFACES ON SAIDPROJECTION FOR SNUG MATING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, WHEN SAID SECTIONS AREINTERLOCKED, THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SAID SECTIONS BEINGSUCH THAT SAID LIP EDGE CAN BE ENGAGED IN SAID SEAT WITH SAID OTHERSECTION TILTED UP FROM ITS SAID ONE SIDE EDGE AND THEN SAID OTHERSECTION CAN BE PIVOTED DOWNWARDLY ABOUT SAID LIP EDGE TO INTERLOCK SAIDSECTIONS AGAINST RELATIVE TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN IN ANYDIRECTION NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL EXTENT OF THE INTERLOCKINGENGAGEMENT THEREBETWEEN.